Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Kelowna Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Kelowna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,460 in Kelowna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Montreal versus $3,617 in Kelowna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,255 in Montreal versus $4,774 in Kelowna.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 16% less than in Kelowna, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 54% above, Kelowna 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.12

$18.26 CA$25.37

-12.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$66.9 CA$93.0

9.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.49

$11.17 CA$15.52

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.28

$4.38 CA$6.08

-13.24%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 CA$3.03

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.73 CA$2.40

-15.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$5.98 CA$8.31

2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.41

$6.11 CA$8.49

10.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.23

$1.97 CA$2.73

18.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.71

$3.19 CA$4.44

6.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.18

$3.15 CA$4.38

18.41%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$3.86 CA$5.37

-12.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.58

$11.10 CA$15.42

46.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.04

$14.87 CA$20.66

-22.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.17

$19.87 CA$27.60

-23.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.73 CA$5.19

0.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.41 CA$1.96

20.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.70

$3.77 CA$5.24

9.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$4.04 CA$5.61

7.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$2.59 CA$3.59

4.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.63

$2.93 CA$4.07

-10.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$2.72 CA$3.78

-17.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$1.79 CA$2.48

-3.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.49

$15.02 CA$20.86

-11.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$14.98

$13.79 CA$19.15

-21.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$2.46 CA$3.42

22.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.81

$3.11 CA$4.33

11.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$1.89 CA$2.63

44.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$50.7 CA$70.5

43.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$3.04 CA$4.22

19.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.69 CA$2.35

-13.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.46

$35.11 CA$48.78

-4.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.26 CA$1.74

-3.97%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.6K CA$34.2K

$24.9K CA$34.6K

-1.00%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.7K CA$30.1K

$20.1K CA$27.9K

8.13%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$76.0 CA$106

$141 CA$196

-46.07%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.72 CA$49.63

$52.4 CA$72.8

-31.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$66.9 CA$93.0

-35.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.6

$44.18 CA$61.4

-2.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.94

$31.88 CA$44.30

-45.95%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.40

$11.64 CA$16.17

-4.73%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$620 CA$861

$1,055 CA$1,466

-41.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,106

$17.1K CA$23.7K

-65.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$53.3 CA$74.0

17.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.7

$40.15 CA$55.8

10.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$85.4 CA$119

17.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$165

$126 CA$175

-5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,683

$1,367 CA$1,900

-11.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,333

$1,199 CA$1,666

-19.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,828

$2,196 CA$3,052

-7.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,208

$2,028 CA$2,818

-21.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,198

$4,081 CA$5,670

26.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,465

$3,314 CA$4,604

18.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,113

$3,038 CA$4,221

-2.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

6.53

-23.28%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kelowna: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,211 in Montreal and $1,367 in Kelowna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kelowna pays 3% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $73.0 in Montreal vs $67.0 in Kelowna. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $401, with Montreal cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Montreal vs Kelowna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal and Kelowna differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($2,063 vs $2,460 including rent). Montreal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kelowna earns 3% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,211 in Montreal versus $1,367 in Kelowna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,063 per month in Montreal versus $2,460 in Kelowna – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montreal runs roughly 43% less than in Kelowna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $2,460 in Kelowna, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Kelowna. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Montreal and Kelowna are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Montreal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Kelowna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.